PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 10: Caleb Martin #16 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball … [+]
The Dallas Mavericks shocked the basketball world on Saturday, trading Luka Doncic, the face of their franchise, to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal practically no one saw coming.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, even Danny Ainge, the CEO of the Utah Jazz, the third team involved in the deal, had only about 30 minutes notice he was helping facilitate a blockbuster trade centered around Doncic and Anthony Davis.
Swapping a 25-year-old five-time All-NBA First Team selection for a soon-to-be 32-year-old shrinks Dallas’ championship window significantly, placing a premium on trying to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the next couple of years. Their other star player, Kyrie Irving, turns 33 next month.
As the Mavericks make roster moves that match their new timeline, they’ve acquired Caleb Martin from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Quentin Grimes, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Dallas will also send the Sixers back the latter’s 2025 second-round pick.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 10: Caleb Martin #16 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the … [+]
Martin, 29, is five years younger than Grimes. The former averaged 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 31 games with Philadelphia this season. He also converted on 37.9 percent of the 2.8 threes he hoisted per contest. That includes a season-high 23 points in the 76ers’ Christmas win over the Boston Celtics, in which Martin made a career-best seven threes on nine attempts.
The six-foot-five wing is under contract for $8.6 million next season and $9 million for the 2026-27 campaign. Martin has a player option worth $9.4 million for 2027-28.
Grimes, who the Mavericks were unable to reach an extension with before the season, is producing 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season. He’s knocking down 39.8 percent of the 4.3 threes he’s launching.
The former first-round pick, who started his career with the New York Knicks, is on an expiring $4.3 million contract.
The 76ers making this move for a younger player with a similar profile to Martin could signal what direction they’ll go in before Thursday’s trade deadline passes.
Guerschon Yabusele has reportedly drawn interest from the Celtics, among multiple playoff teams. Since the start of January, the six-foot-eight 29-year-old power forward, capable of playing center, is averaging 16 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals. He’s also converting 4.3 three-point attempts at a 43.3 percent clip.
As for what else the Mavericks might do before Thursday’s trade deadline, they have their first-round pick in this year’s draft and the Lakers’ 2029 Round 1 selection, which is unprotected. They also have traded player exceptions (TPEs) that include one worth $11 million. That got created in the deal with Los Angeles, in which Dallas sent Maxi Kleber and his $11 million salary to LA.
Nico Harrison, the Mavericks’ general manager, could try to entice teams by offering a younger talent like Olivier-Maxence Prosper or Jaden Hardy, and perhaps draft capital, and utilizing that $11 million TPE to absorb a higher salary than what either of those two makes.
What’s clear is the move for Martin reflects an organization that understands the urgency it must operate with to try to win a championship in the next couple of seasons and that they’ll act accordingly.
